In an email, the News Corporation chairman also said a Sunday version of the paper - The Sun on Sunday - would launch "very soon".

Mr Murdoch visited The Sun's newsroom today in an attempt to reassure staff that he will not close or sell the paper following the arrest of senior staff members over alleged corrupt payments.

He told colleagues the newspaper was "part of me" and described it as "one of our proudest achievements".

Mr Murdoch also gave his firm backing to the members of staff arrested by saying "everyone is innocent unless proven otherwise."

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Sophy Ridge - Murdoch: "All suspensions are hereby lifted until or whether charged and they are welcome to return to work" &amp;#60;-- will be popular with staff&lt;/noframe&gt;

Nine journalists were arrested this month after information was passed to the police by an internal body set up to deal with inquiries into telephone hacking and police corruption.

The actions of the independent committee - known as the Management Standards Committee (MSC) - has angered staff at the paper and led to allegations of a “witch-hunt”.

Five Sun journalists, including the deputy editor, picture editor and chief reporter, were held by Scotland Yard detectives on Saturday on suspicion of making improper payments to police and public officials.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Dan Sabbagh - Murdoch memo comes down squarely on side of Management and Standards ctte - w only one concession: arrested sun staff can go back to work&lt;/noframe&gt;

Mr Murdoch told staff the committee had been told to cooperate with the police and said "illegal activities simply cannot and will not be tolerated".

Meanwhile, confirming the anticipated launch of the Sun on Sunday, he added the company would "build on The Sun's proud heritage by launching The Sun on Sunday very soon" but he did not give any details about when the newspaper might start.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Juliet Bremner - Rupert &lt;a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=Murdoch" target="_blank"&gt;#Murdoch&lt;/a&gt; and son Lachlan are being led round newsroom "like a royal party" according to Sun sources&lt;/noframe&gt;

Labour MP Chris Bryant, who has led the phone-hacking campaign, criticised the decision.

He said: "I think it is massively premature because one would have thought the Murdoch empire would want to wait until Leveson had completed his inquiry and the police and prosecuting authorities had completed their investigations.

"He is meant still to be 'draining the swamp' and yet the swamp is meant to produce another newspaper."

Signing off, Mr Murdoch added he would be in London for the coming weeks to support the newspaper.

His visit came as four protesters from the group Avaaz held a demonstration outside the main entrance to the News International building at about 12.30pm.

One wore a giant Rupert Murdoch mask and a placard reading "Hacking? Bribery? News to me". Another wore a police uniform and carried a bag of "swag" and an "End the Murdoch Mafia" placard.